17th Birthday
by Libri Crudelitatis
Summary: Maka was pissed. Why? That jerk of a weapon actually managed to forget her birthday! Big deal, why was she so angry about it? Oh, that could be because he was currently on a date. With a girl. On her birthday. Or was he?


**17th Birthday**

**Normal POV**

Today was definitely the worst birthday ever. Instead of celebrating Maka was sitting all alone in her room reading a new book she had gotten from her father as a present. The only present she had gotten today. Ironical, wasn't it? Her ever-womanizing father being the only one that came to visit.

She couldn't blame Kid, Liz and Patty, because as a new-born full-fledged Shinigami and his weapons/helpers/friends they had much to do.

She couldn't blame Black*Star and Tsubaki either for they were on an important mission somewhere I europe as one of the strongest weapon-meister teams.

She definitely couldn't blame Blair, because she had to work, but nevertheless promised that she'd come home early to celebrate Maka's birthday.

And what she as sure as hell couldn't blame was Soul being absent. Lately, he had been going out with this girl, Clarice, and today too he was with her. She couldn't blame him. But even so his absence was the one that hurt her most. She had gotten texts from everyone, saying that they were sorry and when they came back, they'd throw the best and biggest (the 'biggest' was written by Black*Star, of course) birthday party ever for her.

Texts from everyone but Soul.

Maka closed the book. It had been a good story and she smiled at the thought how well her father still knew her aside from his non-stop womanizing.

Her smile didn't hold up long.

How dare he! How dare Soul forget her birthday!

Something warm ran down her cheeks and Maka noticed with surprise that she was crying. She quickly wiped the tears away and decided to read another book while waiting for Blair. The cat and Maka had become really good friends over the years and Blair had been the one to comfort Maka when Soul first went on a date with Clarice.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, interrupting her depressing thoughts. Maka went to open the door. Outside stood Kid, Liz and Patty, ''One … two … three … HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAKA!''

Maka grinned, ''Hey, guys. I thought you had work to do?''

Liz sighed, ''Yeah, well, actually we do, but we decided to congratulate you at least.''

''Yeah, congrats, congrats. Giraffe congrats!'', Patty shouted excitedly. Kid smiled, ''Here is our present for you. It's nothing much, but we hope you'll like it.''

Now Maka grinned even wider, ''Wow, thank you. Even the package is symmetrical.''

Kid's face fell, ''It's _only_ the package that's symmetrical. Sadly.'' Liz sighed again, ''Yeah, 'cause it's _her _present, not _yours._ We had to get her something _she'd _like, right? Open it, Maka.''

''Nooo, you'll ruin the symmetry!''

''SHUT IT, KID, OR I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!'' Somehow the trio's visit ended up with Kid sobbing uncontrollably in a corner, Patty laughing her ass off and Liz acting as if she didn't know them. Maka smiled and finally opened the present.

''Oh my death, is it really _Graceling__?_ I've been wanting to read that book for ages!''

''Thought you'd like it.'', Liz stated proudly. Kid got up again, not sobbing anymore,

''It's kind of quiet here. Is Soul not home?''

**Kid's POV**

I really shouldn't have asked that question. Maka's face fell immediately.

''He's not here.'' This was weird. Soul wouldn't miss out on Maka's birthday, right? And I even took up the trouble of saving the both of them from missions for today and tomorrow.

''Does he have something important to do? More important than your birthday I mean.''

Maka shrugged, ''He went out with Clarice. He didn't even remember my birthday, so it's probably not all that important to him.''

Oh dear. Soul, you're in for a punishment, because Maka seems seriously pissed right now even though she wants to hide it.

Liz was shocked, too. ''How can he? I mean going on a date with another girl on your birthday is bad enough, but completely forgetting about it?'' This was getting worse and worse. With each of Liz's words Maka's face looked sadder. It was an open secret that she liked her weapon, but the idiot hadn't noticed anything.

''Hey, sis, Kiddo, we have to go now. We can kill Soul on our way, but we really gotta take part in that meeting later.''

'' … ''

''Somehow you seem in a quite murderous state right now, little sister. It really _is_ late though.'', Liz said and then turned to Maka, ''Sorry that we can't stay longer, Maka.''

''It's okay, you have so much work to do after all. I'm glad you even took the time to visit me.''

''Your birthday's only once in a year after all, we had to show up, although it wasn't really much time. Can't have a depressed birthday girl, right? Bye, Maka!''

''Bye, you three. Don't overwork yourselves!''

And with that she closed the door.

**Clarice's POV**

''You're late.'', I told Soul. He just shrugged.

I smiled. He had saved me from bullies some time ago and since then I wanted to repay him. Recently I had found out that he had a (secret) crush on his meister and decided to help him confess. The only problem was that Soul didn't think Maka liked him back. At least not romantically.

Oh yeah, that boy was (even though he acted cool all the time) completely oblivious to Maka's slight blushes or her smile whenever she was with him. And because I'm such a good person (and a hopeless romantic by the way) I wanted to get those two lovestruck idiots together no matter what.

''So'', I said, ''You said you wanted to try confessing on her birthday. It's tomorrow, right?''

He had a slight blush (and a defeated expression) on his face when he said: ''Yeah. The fourth of september.'' (A/N I don't know when Maka's birthday is, if anyone else knows, please tell me)

The fourth of september, huh …

Wait a minute, that was today!

''Uh … the fourth's … today, you know...''

**Soul's POV**

What?

WHAT?!

''No way, today's the third!'', I exclaimed. Clarice (a _very_ weird girl) just showed me her watch.

It _was_ the fourth.

''No way! Yesterday it definitely was the second and because of that damn Maka-chop I just … woke up … this morning … shit! Don't tell me she hit so hard that I missed a whole day? Fuck!''

Then I saw that Clarice was watching me with a weird look on her face and remembered that I was in a public place.

''Thanks for telling me which day was today, Clarice!''

And then I ran. To Maka.

**Kid's POV**

As we went to work, a really desperate Soul ran past us and I stopped him.

''Where do you think you're going, Soul?''

I think he only realized I was standing there when I spoke.

''Maka-chop … missed a day … today's the fourth … '' was all I could hear. When I finally understood, I facepalmed. A Maka-chop's fault that Soul 'forgot' her birthday? So typical.

I let him go.

''Run, Soul. Run as if your life depends on it, because it does.''

**Maka's POV**

I had just finished 'Reaper man' from Terry Pratchett and was thinking about what I should do next (being depressed, being angry or crying) when I heard the doorbell ring again. It couldn't be Soul, he had a key … or that's what I thought before I saw it lying on the couch I passed.

So maybe it was him?

No, Maka, don't get your hopes up, I told myself. Even if he hasn't forgotten your birthday, he still went on a freaking DATE with that Clarice girl.

That got my hopes down again. I sighed as I opened the door to see a panting Soul in front of me. Had he run here?

''Msorrydidn'trealizeitwasthefourthsosorryhappybirthday.''

''Huh?'' What did he say? I couldn't understand a word of it.

''I'm sorry! I didn't realize that it was the fourth. Happy birthday, Maka!''

What? He didn't forget? I was confused.

''How the heck didn't you realize that it was the fourth?''

''You Maka-chopped me so hard I lost a day, right? I just didn't notice!''

Wait … was he implying it was _my_ fault?

''And now it's my fault that you didn't notice it was my birthday and went on a date with your girlfriend instead?''

''No! I just wanted to say I'm stupid for not realizing it and a complete idiot. What girlfriend by the way?''

I stared at him in disbelief. First he forgot my birthday, then he blamed it on me and now he was denying that he had gone out with his damn girlfriend?

''MAKA-CHOP!''

''Ow! What the hell, Maka? I said I was sorry, didn't I?''

''Then what were you doing with Clarice if it wasn't a date?''

'' … ''

Soul just stood there, not answering my question. Instead a small blush was forming on his cheeks that got me thinking about what in the world Soul was doing when he'd been away.

''She was … helping me with … something … '', he murmured.

''Oh? What would get you to ask for help from a girl you hardly even know? Couldn't you have asked me instead?''

It must have been something I said. Soul's cheeks became even redder.

''Umm … you know … Shit, this is so uncool!''

**Soul's POV**

Did she really expect me to say it and get rejected the second I told her? Well, maybe she'd Maka-chop me first and _then _reject me. That was a possibility …

''Um, Maka?''

''Yes?''

She was angry. She was furious. And this didn't make things any easier.

''Could you maybe … Maka-chop me first and then answer to what I'll say?''

Maka's brows narrowed. ''Why would I Maka-chop you? Soul, what are you hiding from me?''

This was it.

''I … like you, Maka.''

**Maka's POV**

Huh?

''I like you too. How else would we be able to resonate that well? Although you're quite an idiot most of the time.''

Soul stood there dumbfounded.

''I actually meant it in a different way.''

A different w … wait a minute, was he telling me what i hoped he was telling me? Or did he mean he liked me, _but -_ ? Huh?

''Could you be more specific? I don't get it. I mean I understand the 'like' part, but what's the 'different'? Am I making sense?''

''You are. And now listen good, 'cause I'm not gonna repeat it, it's uncool enough saying it just once.''

''O … kay?'' This was so weird. Soul looked like he was about to be killed by a kishin/witch/_something_. ''So, are you going to tell me or what?'' I was growing impatient.

''Yeah, I am. But first I have to prepare myself for getting rejected!''

''What do you mean?''

''I mean that I freakin' love you, Maka.''

Had he really just said that?

''And please Maka-chop me first and _then_ reject me. I wanna have a few more seconds with my pride and coolness.''

Was he …

… really that much of an idiot?

**Soul's POV**

I told her. Now I had to brace myself for the rejection.

''Maka-chop!''

''OW!''

Yep, the Maka-chop had already come (where the hell did she get all those books from?) and it hurt like hell. Now would follow the rejection …

Or at least that's what I thought. Instead she just stood there without saying anything.

''Maka?''

''Shut up. I'm trying to think.''

''About what?'', Soul asked about that suspicious statement.

''I'm trying to decide whether I should Maka-chop you into next week for not telling me sooner or be extremely, utterly, overly _happy_ that you did tell me after all.''

''Wait, does that mean … ''

Even though I told myself again and again not to get my hopes up, I failed spectacularly at it.

Maka rolled her eyes, ''It means that I love you too, idiot.''

...

…

She loved me?

…

…

''Uhm … Soul?''

''Y-yeah, what is it?''

''Did you realize we're still standing at the door?''

**Maka's POV**

At least the door was closed.

''Did you really mean what you just said now, Maka?''

Dear death, was Soul really asking me that? Couldn't he see that I was trying really hard not to grin like crazy or shout about bubbly ponies and rainbows or faint or everything at once? Then I got an idea.

''You want me to prove it to you?, I said with a smirk.

And despite knowing it could be a really bad idea to do something like that in my current (definitely not stable) condition, I leaned in and kissed him.

**Soul's POV**

One moment I was afraid of rejection and now she was kissing me?

After a moment of shock I began kissing her back. Instantly I felt her smile on her soft lips. You'd think a tough person like her has rough lips, but hers were just as soft as her hands which she was currently running through my hair and that was so enticing despite being bad for my mental state, because my mind was beginning to melt away. I pulled her even closer and realized that she tasted like chocolate. Well, it _was_ her birthday today, of course she'd gotten chocolate.

Which reminded me …

I broke the kiss, grinned and said,

''Happy Birthday, Maka.''


End file.
